This post was originally published on this site.
Being paired with two-time European Champions La Rochelle is just reward for the progress Newcastle Red Bulls have made this season, says head coach Alan Dickens.
Newcastle will meet the Top-14 side in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup in early April, after winning three of their four pool games to finish as runners-up.
And when La Rochelle, winners of the Champions Cup in successive years in 2022 and 2023, slipped to a shock home loss to Harlequins in that competition, they finished fifth in their pool and dropped down into the second-tier trophy for the first time in seven years.
“It’s something we talked about before the Perpignan game,” said Dickens. “We knew a win would get that us a home game, so we put a target on that.
“Three from four in this competition is a real positive and the reward is an exciting team coming here to Newcastle.”
Before this season, the Red Bulls had managed only two wins from their previous 12 games in Europe, all in the Challenge Cup, while last season they were the only club not to pick up a point in either European competition.
But hard-earned victories over Lyon, Johannesburg Lions and Perpignan have set up their crack at Ronan O’Gara’s side.
It will be the most significant fixture the club has had since the takeover by the energy drinks company last summer – and the type that the new owners would have imagined when getting involved.
Ex-England scrum-half Danny Care believes there is no reason why the north east club cannot claim a significant scalp.
“It’s wicked for the Newcastle, for the fans, the club,” he told BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast. “We said what a run could do in that competition.
“If La Rochelle are anything like they were (against Harlequins), Newcastle could easily beat them at home.
“Will they send all their big dogs over? I’m not even sure they will.”
